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Reduce Cyber Attacks By Spotting These Email Red Flags!

July 7, 2017August 28, 2017

Hacking via email is a common technique, along with DDOS attacks, that cyber criminals use today. One version, known as phishing, is where they will send out emails that appear to look genuine but which actually are not, which are designed to collect sensitive information. This is just one of the many techniques they utilize, and below are some tips for reducing cyber-attacks so that your data center doesn’t become a target.

Beware Of Email Hyperlinks

Cyber criminals have an innate understanding of the online viewing habits of many users. For instance, they know that when many people receive an email from their bank which has a link in it, they will click on it as opposed to going to the URL search box at the top of their browser and typing the bank’s address directly in.

As a consequence, hackers create fake emails that appear to be from banks and other legitimate institutions and then put hyperlinks in them and when the user clicks on it and enters their username and password can then be used by criminals to gain access to their account.

The best way to avoid this is to not use email hyperlinks, especially those from banks or other financial institutions unless you are absolutely sure it is from them. It only takes a few seconds to type in the bank’s www address into the search bar and you can then login to verify any notices you received through email.

Check The Email Attachments

Email attachments are another method by which cyber criminals can subvert your account. Such attachments will often have malware are various types of viruses. If you receive an email from someone you don’t know, and it has an attachment, avoid opening it, especially if the file is an .xls or .exe.

Pay Attention To The “From” Line

When opening an email the first thing you should review is the “from” line, or who sent it. The sender is important as they may seem to be someone you know at first glance, but the email may actually be fake. Cyber criminals understand that people are more likely to respond to emails from individuals they know, so if they appear to be such they increase their chances of success. If you pay attention to the “from” address you will often spot missing letters, incorrect spellings, or other signs that the source is not legitimate.

Pay Attention To The “To” Line

Cyber criminals understand that phishing is a numbers game. The more emails they send out, the more likely they are to succeed. The good news for those who are paying attention is that oftentimes emails from these nefarious individuals will have multiple addresses in the “To” line, or a cc’d. If you receive an unusual email that you can see in the “To” line has been sent to a bunch of other people, this is a telltale sign that it is probably not legitimate.